49020: Guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) regarding Eid prayers

I would like to know the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) regarding Eid prayers.

Praise be to Allaah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
used to offer the Eid prayers in the prayer-place (musalla). There is no
report of his offering the Eid prayer in his mosque.

Al-Shaafa’i said in al-Umm: It was narrated that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
go out on the two Eids to the prayer-place in Madeenah, as did those
(caliphs) who came after him, unless there was an excuse such as rain etc.
The people of other lands did likewise, apart from the people of Makkah.

He used to wear his most beautiful garments to go out to
pray. He had a suit (hullah) which he would wear for Eid and Jumu’ah (Friday
prayer). A hullah is a two-piece suit of the same kind of fabric.

He used to eat dates before going out on Eid al-Fitr, and he
would eat an odd number of them.

Al-Bukhaari (953) narrated that Anas (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) did not go out on the morning of Eid al-Fitr until he had eaten
some dates, and he would eat an odd number.

Ibn Qudaamah said: We do not know of any differing opinion
concerning the fact that it is mustahabb to eat early on the day of Eid
al-Fitr.

The reason for eating before the prayer is so that no one
will think that it is essential to fast until the prayer has been offered.

And it was said that this was in order to hasten to obey the
command of Allaah Who enjoined breaking the fast after He enjoined fasting.

If no dates are available, he should have something else for
breakfast, even if it is only water, so that he can fulfil the Sunnah in
principle, which is to have something for breakfast before praying on Eid
al-Fitr.

With regard to Eid al-Adha, the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used not to eat anything until he came back
from the prayer-place, then he would eat some of the meat of his sacrifice.

It was narrated that he used to do ghusl for both Eids. Ibn
al-Qayyim said: Two weak (da’eef) hadeeths have been narrated concerning
this… but it was proven from Ibn ‘Umar, who was very keen to follow the
Sunnah, that he used to do ghusl before going out on the day of Eid.

And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used
to go out to the Eid prayer walking, and come back walking.

Ibn Maajah (1295) narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to go out to
the Eid (prayer) walking and come back walking. Classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah.

Al-Tirmidhi (530) narrated that ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib said: It
is Sunnah to go out to the Eid (prayer) walking. Classed as hasan by
al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

Al-Tirmidhi said: Most of
the scholars followed this hadeeth and said that it is mustahabb for a man
to go out to the Eid (prayer) walking. It is mustahabb for him not to ride
unless he has an excuse.

When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) reached the prayer-place, he would begin the prayer with no adhaan or
iqaamah, and without saying “Al-salaatu jaami’ah (prayer is about to
begin).” The Sunnah is not to do any of these things.

And he did not offer any prayer in the prayer-place before or
after the Eid prayer.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
would start with the prayer, before the khutbah. He prayed two rak’ahs, with
seven consecutive takbeers in the first rak’ah, including takbeerat
al-ihraam (the takbeer with which the prayer begins), and a brief pause
between each two takbeers. There is no report of him saying any particular
dhikr between the takbeers, but it was narrated that Ibn Mas’ood would
praise Allaah and send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him).

But Ibn ‘Umar, who was always keen to follow the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), used to raise his hands with
each takbeer.

When he had completed the takbeers, he would start to recite.
He would recite al-Faatihah then recite Qaf wa’l-Qur’aan il-majeed
(Soorah Qaaf 50) in the first rak’ah and Aqtarabat il-saa’ah wa anshaqqa
al-qamar (Soorat al-Qamar 54) in the other. Sometimes he recited
Sabbih isma rabbika al-A’la (Soorat al-A’laa 87) and Hal ataaka
hadeeth al-ghaashiyah (Soorat al-Ghaashiyah 88). Both were narrated in
saheeh reports, but no other soorahs are mentioned in saheeh reports. When
he had finished reciting he would say takbeer and bow. When he had finished
bowing and prostrating and had stood up again, he would say five takbeers.
When he had completed the takbeers he would start to recite again. The
takbeer was the first thing that he would do in each rak’ah and his
recitation was followed by rukoo’ (bowing).

Al-Timridhi narrated from the hadeeth of Katheer ibn
‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf, from his father, from his grandfather, that
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
recited takbeer in the Eid (prayer), seven times in the first rak’ah before
reciting Qur’aan and five times in the second rak’ah before reciting
Qur’aan. Al-Tirmidhi said: I asked Muhammad – i.e., al-Bukhaari – about this
hadeeth and he said: There is nothing more sound than this concerning this
topic. And I say likewise.

When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) had finished the prayer, he would move away and stand facing the
people, with the people sitting in their rows, and he would address them,
preaching and exhorting, with commands and prohibitions. If he wanted to
dispatch anyone on a mission he would do so, and if he wanted to enjoin
anything he would do that.

There was no minbar on which he would stand, and the minbar
of Madeenah was not brought out. Rather he would address them standing on
the ground. Jaabir said: I attended Eid prayer with the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He started with the prayer
before the khutbah, with no adhaan and no iqaamah, then he stood, leaning on
Bilaal, and enjoined us to fear and obey Allaah. He preached to the people
and reminded them, then he went over to the women and preached to them and
reminded them. Agreed upon.

Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to go out
on the day of al-Fitr and al-Adha to the prayer place. He would start with
the prayer, then he would go and stand facing the people, with the people
sitting in their rows… This hadeeth was narrated by Muslim.

The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) started all his khutbahs with praise of
Allaah. It is not narrated even in one hadeeth that he started the khutbah
of Eid with takbeer. Rather Ibn Maajah narrated in his Sunan (1287)
that Sa’d al-Qaraz, the muezzin of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) used to say the takbeer between the two sermons and he used to say
takbeer a great deal throughout the khutbah of Eid. This was classed as
da’eef by al-Albaani in Da’eef Ibn Maajah. Although the hadeeth is
da’eef, it does not indicate that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) used to begin his khutbah with takbeer.

It says in Tamaam al-Mannah: Although it does not indicate
that it is prescribed to begin the Eid khutbah with takbeer, its isnaad is
da’eef and includes one man who is da’eef (weak) and another who is majhool
(unknown), so it is not permissible to quote it as evidence that it is
Sunnah to say takbeer during the khutbah.

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

People differed as to how the khutbah on Eid and on the
occasion of prayers for rain (istisqa’) should begin. It was said that they
should begin with takbeer and it was said that the khutbah of istisqa’
should begin with prayers for forgiveness, and it was said that they should
begin with praise. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: this is the correct
view. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
begin all his khutbahs with praise of Allaah.

The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) granted a concession allowing those who
attended the Eid prayers either to sit and listen to the khutbah, or to
leave.

Abu Dawood (1155) narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Saa’ib
said: I attended Eid (prayer) with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), and when he had finished the prayer he
said: “We are going to deliver the khutbah, so whoever wants to sit and
listen to the khutbah, let him do so, and whoever wants to leave, let him
go.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
used to vary his route on the day of Eid. He would go by one route and come
back by another.

Al-Bukhaari narrated (986) that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah said: On the day of Eid, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) would vary his route.